LaPorte & Bailey Charged

Stacey J. LaPorte, Jr, 26, and Mackenzie Bailey, 20, both of Massena, New York, have been charged with conspiring to and engaging in the sexual exploitation of minors. The indictment, unsealed in federal court, alleges that the two exploited a minor child born in 2014 on two specific dates in 2016.

The charges against LaPorte and Bailey include conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor child and two counts of sexually exploiting that child. LaPorte is also charged with a fourth count relating to his exploitation of two children, one born in 2003 and the other in 1999, on a specific date in 2016.

Each of the charges filed against LaPorte and Bailey carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and registration as a sex offender. The sentence will be determined by a judge based on the particular statute violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The defendants were arraigned in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles. Stacey J. LaPorte was ordered detained, while Mackenzie Bailey was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday, November 2, 2016.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is being investigated by the New York State Police, the Massena Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child exploitation. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The prosecution of LaPorte and Bailey is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa M. Fletcher and Sahar Amandolare. The investigation and prosecution of child exploitation cases are a top priority for the Department of Justice, and this case demonstrates the commitment to protecting children from exploitation and abuse.